How Booktok Will Help Project 2025

[@joannemarkov]

I have this problem with my 11 year-old boy who is an advanced reader and loves urban fantasy. There's very little that he can read that doesn't have sexual content. We desperately need well-written literature for this age group!

[@heabooktubes]

@@joannemarkov don’t even get me started on the difference between reading level and age appropriate!! Especially for advanced readers/adults and late teens with a low reading level. It’s all needed!!

[@roxassora2706]

Has he read Percy Jackson?

[@joannemarkov]

@@roxassora2706 Yes, last year.

[@remythebat]

ive been yapping about the sex negativity that ive been seeing on booktok and booktube and just in culture in general for a while. ive noticed that ppl feel the need to convey their disgust when smut crosses their acceptable threshold and to me it always always feels like an attempt to distinguish themselves as a ‘respectable’ smut enjoyer vs the other. the art of not yucking someone else’s yum has been lost. a phenomenal video! and hopefully we can have more discussions like this.

[@roxassora2706]

They're uncomfortable with certain portrayals of sex, but recommend misogynists like Colleen Hoover? Just shows where their priorities lay.

[@yarnpenguin]

Dang, this is fantastic. Everything from 10:54-12:38 in particular (starting with "Part of the reason why . . . negative booktok content" to "shouldn't be in charge of their own rights") has been stuff I've been screaming about online for literal years. I've been deeply alarmed by what I see as a moral panic surrounding sex scenes, dark romance, and even shipping in fandom that is extremely akin to the D&D moral panic of the 80s, the video games cause violence moral panic of the 90s, the "kids will read fantasy novels and do witchcraft!" of the late 90s and early 2000s. Because it's the "if they people consume this content they'll do it IRL and so we need censorship and surely WE will be the ones in charge of it and not people who want to oppress us!" battle cry. I've been really alarmed by the moralising about what other people read/watch/play/create re: impure interpersonal relationships in left-leaning spaces. It got really bad years ago with "our ship is more moral than your ship because your ship of two unrelated adults are actually family" that led to severe harassment of fans and even the people behind the source material. It's continued into people accusing others of being abuse apologists or even wanting to be abused because they choose an evil storyline in a video game; into otherwise progressive people declaring that nothing ever needs to have sex scenes... into thinking that being uncomfortable or disgusted is the final moral arbiter of fiction and what should and should not be allowed to be written. There's this rampant idea amongst otherwise progressive people that censorship is okay, actually, when our disgust for a topic being explored in fiction is triggered--or, yes, even when we're actually triggered. But ONLY for interpersonal relationships, because the brains of women and girls in particular are too tiny and too stupid to understand that maybe they shouldn't marry their uncle if they watch too much House of the Dragon, that they're going to want to be abused if they read about too many shadow daddies or actually-evil vampires. Yet they also believe that fictional violence doesn't cause real life violence and I find the dissonance of it staggering. We're simultaneously advanced enough to know that playing Assassin's Creed doesn't make people assassin's but too stupid to understand that we shouldn't marry people we taught for a year after falling into a magic coma for 5 years and wake up to find they're all adults now after playing Fire Emblem: Three Houses. And that's not to say that I'm super down for all of the taboos and line-crossing and stuff. It's that my alarm bells are constantly going off, and I don't believe that censorship of just a few really bad things will *not* lead to the censorship of things that I actually do like. Especially because moms 4 liberty have proven that they want to get rid of even otherwise "wholesome" content because *they* are disgusted, and right now, they're the ones making these decisions. I'm sorry this is so long. I'm autistic and moral panics--especially this one--are unfortunately a special interest.

[@heabooktubes]

@@yarnpenguin you geeeeeettt it lol. Exactly all of this. People have a real tendency to believe that whatever they’re into is fine and whatever they’re weirded out by should be banned to save the children. And moral panics never lead to good things.

[@TeamPTB]

17:27 "Why do the YA romance covers and the explicit adult open-door romance books have identical illustrated covers?" This is a very good video but this hypothetical confuses me. You know why they have those covers. You said it between 6 and 7 minutes - because gen z readers refuse to have shirtless men or clinch covers. Publishers respond to the market, and the market asks for "discreet" covers. You're so right that teens deserve their own books aimed at them! The rise in adults reading YA and the resulting "YA writing style but it's about adults" has swamped the market for actual YA books. I remember "chick lit" from 20 years ago having the same cutesy illustrated covers but there wasn't the same panic about them being confused with kids books, either because it was less explicit or because there was a more robust YA market aimed at teens then.

[@heabooktubes]

@@TeamPTB to me there doesn’t seem to be any visible age difference of the characters on covers between YA and adult romances, and someone who is not familiar but just buying a gift for their teen wouldn’t automatically be able to tell the difference.

[@rjohnrae1953]

As a romance reader since the 90s, not all covers were shirtless Fabio on a horse. Look at the Julie Garwood or Judith Ivory covers, they were landscapes or flowers or whatever but still somehow conveyed “adult romance.” The cartoon covers look identical to YA and middle grade to me. It’s just so unnecessary.

[@reading_faerie]

She said what she fucking said. 👏🏻 this was literally so good. Great job and I couldn’t agree more you hit every single point.

[@heabooktubes]

@@reading_faerie aw thank you 🥹

[@encyclopediaofelizabeth]

I started getting bad vibes when multiple social media companies made creators use replacement words, we all know the ones. It immediately felt like a slippery slope to not wanting it mentioned ever. It's mostly women that mention the r word heavily when it is in books as well, which bothers me because women are often victims of r and sa so making us not able to mention the word because of monetization and it not being kid friendly when none of these creators are making videos on KZbin kids. Sure don't allow slurs, but actual social issues that cause real harm to men and women? I'm sus on the true motivation of that.

[@mittenista]

I feel like we're at the end of an era. Freedom, progress, human rights - all great while they lasted. But all good things come to an end. But, just as the dark ages gave way to the enlightenment, maybe, if humans are still around in 500 hundred years, we can try again. Maybe this time it will take.

[@elskabee]

I was in an op shop today (thrift store) and they had a stack of Harlequin Mills & Boon books that all had a red printed on label that said "sexy" and honestly it was just so refreshing to see clear marketing! I don't /have/ to ask or do research into the content because it's obvious. If these romance books from 20+ years ago could do it, why can't we do something similar now? Edit: sorry i know it's not super on topic but you talking about illustrated covers made me think of it. Great video with a lot of good points, I'm not American but I really hope the tide of fascism slows and recedes for y'all soon

[@heabooktubes]

@@elskabee no you’re absolutely right. Accurate advertising produces happy consumers.

[@foolishlyfoolhardy6004]

A few years ago I was in a second hand bookstore, just standing staring at an entire shelf of books with red covers trying, and faling, to read the titles (because they all looked the same), and the guy manning the shop came up behind me and said "those are s*xy books," and told about how an older lady roughly in her 70s would drop off a stack of them every weekend 😂. I was a bit flushed getting caught staring at the s*xy books, but maybe I should pick one up one day and see what they're like. How scandalous are we talking I wonder. I just had to share, and I agree with you. I understand minimalist designs. I find that, when they're done well, they're often much more visually appealing, interesting and, readable - it's why I picked up "Butter" by Asako Yuzuki from the same bookstore. And I also understand wanting discretion, especially since people for some reason want to be reading them in public (which probably wasn't true 20+ years ago). But! There needs to be some way to differentiate them, even I can't tell the difference because they also look like fantasy covers. Even in the blurb they tend not to state in any clear way that the book is sm*t or dark romance or anything. I know teens would find a way to read that kind of stuff anyway, but it does worry me how these kinds of books can shape their views on relationships, romance and s*x - since they often romanticise abvsive relationships and d*ngerous s*x. I'd rather them not be exposed to it unknowingly because an adult accidently got it for them. More importantly, though, parents need to talk to their children about this stuff. Open honest conversations about s*x, consent, their bodies, relationships etc. is going to do more good than just hiding everything away or making it !llegal. It would be even better to have robust s*x ed in schools. I do feel for the kids and teens who are being blocked from receiving it.

[@Toastcat890]

They want us only reading Christian content nope not gonna comply.

[@roxassora2706]

Do they not read the bible? Sodom and Gomorrah? Song of Solomon?

[@foolishlyfoolhardy6004]

I kind of disagree with you in one part. I think these kinds of books can shape teens ideas of romance and s*x - especially when they're younger and only just starting to explore that kind of stuff. Many of these books romanticise ab*se (specially the coercive control kind) - twilight was the one I read, and that's comparatively pretty tame compared to what I'm hearing now - and dangerous s*x acts. When we make coercive control romantic, I think there is real potential that people would be less likely to recognise that it's happening to them or their loved one - and it's already extremely difficult to recognise and escape from just due to it's nature. As for d*ngerous s*x acts, there's already and alarming number of people, young women especially, reporting having, consetually, being ch*ked during s*x - which cannot be done safely, ever - and it coincides more with p0rn, but I wouldn't be surprised if these kinds of books don't also contribute to normalising it. (There's alao an alarming number experiencing it without consent). I, thankfully, have the ability to think critically, and I know the answer to this isn't banning any type of book or expecting that teens won't find this stuff. What the solution is, is having open honest conversations with kids and teens about this stuff, and robust s*x ed in schools. Teens are teens, we need to recognise that they can be influenced by these kinds of books just because those parts of their brain are still developing, and they just have less life experience in general. Edit: also agree about cover designs. I too would like to be able to tell them apart, so I can read my regular non-romance fantasy without being jumped with long paragraphs of very detailed sm*t that I didn't ask for. It needs to at least be expl!citly stated somewhere, that that's the primary purpose of the book.

[@heabooktubes]

@@foolishlyfoolhardy6004 the issue is there is a kernel of truth in the argument right. For sure I think that young teens gaining access to porn and going down a rabbit hole of increasingly violent/taboo videos before their first kiss is going to warp their view of sex. I have also heard instances of this. Because they’re not developmentally ready. And porn is not a “how to” guide. I actually have a whole video on why growing up in purity culture led me to enjoy dubious consent in books, but that I have never been confused on how I wanted to be treated in my relationships or had issues with consent. So I think my personal experience there colors my view on how well teens can understand fantasy from reality.

[@bethloubet4650]

Mic drop. Standing ovation.

[@heabooktubes]

@@bethloubet4650 aw thank you. I’ve been nervous about it. 😅

[@savannarbananar]

Good video! I was recommended it on my KZbin home page. Not being familiar with your stuff or booktok (but as someone who follows the news, politics, and has seen the rise in vitriolic misogyny online as well as heard about gen z being more sex-negative *in* *addition* *to* being more conservative than previous generations) I think you made really good arguments and brought to my attention a different aspect of online culture and the affect it’s having on our country’s slide towards fascism. Which is to say… not great!😬

[@Ecabezas]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Thank you for speaking up and your intent to continue doing so. I just subscribed and look forward to your future content. I don’t consider myself a romance book or smut book reader. I just prefer other types of books where if there is romance, it’s not the focus of the book. However every now and then I’ll pick up a romance book (recently Funny Story). I read the Fifty Shades books and Anne Rice’s Sleeping Beauty trilogy years ago; I think that was enough for me lol! However, it pisses me off when others shit on people for reading said books. Especially when I know it comes from deeply embedded misogyny and sexism, and from so called “good Christians.” As a POC, more than ever, I make it a point to pay attention to the authors I read, what their stances are. I’m trying to incorporate more female writers, POC/black writers, and LGBTQIA books into my readings to support the beautiful diversity of writings out there. I am so glad that for the most part, the BookTubers I follow have voiced they’ve been doing the same. I know there are books I won’t like or care for just because I have a preference, but you are so right about getting out of our comfort zones. We need more BookTubers like you that’s for sure!

[@heabooktubes]

@@Ecabezas yes! It’s completely fine to not enjoy romance books because they’re just not your thing. It’s another thing entirely to think that people who read romance books are immoral sex fiends who are too dumb to read anything else. 💀🤣

[@reallyhungrylucy]

really good video that was so interesting!!

[@heabooktubes]

@reallyhungrylucy thank you ♥️

[@shatikac]

Lol. What book is the shark one??? I’m intrigued!!!!

[@heabooktubes]

@@shatikac I believe it’s “Does It Hurt?” By H. D. Carlton. (I have not read this book lol don’t take it as a rec from me.) 😅

[@shatikac]

@ ohh Haunting Adeline author… 🤔 Hunting Adeline was a DNF for me. Will see how I feel about this one in the new year.

[@heabooktubes]

@ I wish you luck lol

[@CoffeeOverApples]

YES! great video

[@heabooktubes]

@@CoffeeOverApples thank you ♥️

[@ohladysamantha]

so well said.

[@marisagettas]

Well done Heather! I agree with everything you said, lol ❤

[@heabooktubes]

@@marisagettas well I’m glad you’re here 😆🥰

[@savannarbananar]

9:40 tbf I clicked on the video cause I don’t know anything about booktok (I’m not on TikTok) and was curious to hear how it would feed into project 2025.😅

[@heabooktubes]

@@savannarbananar and now you’re more informed! 🤣🥰

[@BookVyrm]

The way you hit the bull's eye with each and every single point!🎯👏 This is so important, not only for the USA, but everywhere. Absolutely amazing analysis and presentation, Heather, you're awesome👑

[@heabooktubes]

@@BookVyrm awwww thank you so much 🥹🥰

[@savannarbananar]

10:40 Also, I’m sorry but them complaining that the books are “anti-intellectual” _and_ there are “too many words on the page” and you listing them right next to each other is incredibly funny! 🤣 (I know something can have a lot of words and still be anti-intellectual and those might’ve been 2 different complaints for 2 different books but that was still funny 😂)

[@heabooktubes]

@@savannarbananar believe it or not those were two whole separate discourses that we had to live through. 😅

[@BookmarkChronicles]

Talk about it👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@heabooktubes]

@@BookmarkChronicles 😅😅😅

[@JBaby_9783]

You did this, Heather!🩷

[@heabooktubes]

@@JBaby_9783 aw thank you darling 🥹🥰

[@Nicolette_Thomas]

So eloquently stated.

[@heabooktubes]

@@Nicolette_Thomas why thank you so much

[@tracym2881]

🙌🏾🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@heabooktubes]

@@tracym2881 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@MrRorosuri]

❤❤

[@eternalclaws]

❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@heabooktubes]

@@eternalclaws ♥️♥️♥️

[@RuthieDR89]

👏👏👏

[@heabooktubes]

@@RuthieDR89 🥰🥰🥰

[@MrRorosuri]

😢

[@NovelteaCorner]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@heabooktubes]

@@NovelteaCorner 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@lmao_tse_tung]

I'm sorry but if people are getting aroused by something then you can't just wave it away as "just fantasy", it means part of you desires it. And to be fair, I don't necessarily think that dark romance causes women to be attracted to violent alpha males, it could be the case that the reason these books get written and read so much is because those desires were already there. However, I do think that the rise of toxic fiction helps spread the romanticisation of toxic alpha males and entrench those desires in women who may previously only have had "inklings". So it's no surprise to me when booktok girlies voted for Daddy Dom Don. As for supporting sex positive authors, I think Dark "Romance" is sex negative in the way it portrays sex, and especially male sex drives, as ugly and disgusting. I know you said a lot of booktok discourse is misogynistic, but I think booktok is misandrist in it's simplification and reduction of men to either violent hatef*cking brutes or invisible drones.

[@jerichonikolai]

Exactly! The way these romances are portrayed are NOT SEX POSITIVE. Just because there's sex doesn't mean it's sex positive. It's very sex negative to spread the idea that men are these beings that can't control themselves. That view actively harms men too! It's sexist and harmful to young boys and girls who read these things and end up wondering if this is what they should like.

[@aspiring_recluse]

👏❤

[@heabooktubes]

@@aspiring_recluse 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@LaurenDrover]

This.

[@heabooktubes]

@@LaurenDrover ♥️♥️♥️

[@lfrancis8980]

+